The globe on the Android keyboard has disappeared: how to return language switching?

Icon globus (🌐) on the Android keyboard is not just an icon, but the key to quickly switching between input languages. Its disappearance can turn typing into torture: instead of just tapping, you have to navigate through the menu or even reinstall the keyboard. Why does this happen? Most often, random settings, system updates or malfunctions of the keyboard are to blame. But the good news: in 90% of cases, the problem can be solved in a couple of minutes without radical measures.

In this article. we will look at all possible reasons for the disappearance of the globe —from the banal (disabled function in the settings) to the unobvious (conflict with other applications). You will learn how to return the icon on Gboard, Samsung Keyboard, SwiftKey and other popular keyboards, as well as what to do if the standard methods do not work. Spoiler: in most cases, it is enough to enable one checkbox in the menu.

Before moving on to the instructions, check two things:

1. Make sure that your device has at least two input languages (without this, the globe is simply not needed).
2. Try to restart your smartphone - sometimes this solves the problem of temporary glitches.

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1. Checking the basic keyboard settings

Let's start with the most obvious: perhaps the globe icon is simply hidden in the settings. This method works for any keyboard, including Gboard, Samsung Keyboard And Microsoft SwiftKey. Here's what you need to do:

Open any input field. text (for example, notes or messenger) so that the keyboard appears Then:

1. Click on settings gear (⚙️) on the keyboard panel (usually at the top right).
2. Select item Input languages or Language preferences.
3. Make sure that at least two are selected in the list active languages Active languages
4. Return to the main keyboard settings menu and find the option Toolbar or Layout.
5. Check if the switch is enabled to display globe icon (may be called Show language switch key).

If the option is enabled, but the globe is still does not appear, proceed to the next section. If you did not find such a setting, do not worry: in some versions of keyboards it is hidden deeper or is absent altogether (more on this below).

2. Specific settings for Gboard (Google keyboard)

Gboard is the most popular keyboard on Android, and the disappearance of the globe is usually associated with updates or resets. Here step-by-step guide to return the icon:

Step 1. Open Gboard settings:

• 📱 Go to Android Settings → System → Language and input → Virtual keyboard.
• 🔍 Select Gboard from list.

Step 2. Go to section Languages and make sure that at least two languageshas been added. If not, add a second one (for example, English).

Step 3. Return to the main menu Gboard and select: Layout → Toolbar → Show language switch button.

Make sure the switch enabled (should be blue).

Step 4. If the option is missing, try resetting the settings: Gboard Settings → Advanced → Reset Settings. Attention: this will remove your personal dictionary and themes, but will return the standard keyboard view.

At least 2 input languages have been added|

The "Show language switching button" option is enabled|

The toolbar is not hidden in the layout settings|

The settings have been reset (if nothing helped)-->

⚠️ Attention: In some versions Gboard (especially on older devices) the globe icon may be replaced by button with the letter "A" or country flag. This is not a bug - just a different design.

3. Features of Samsung Keyboard (for Samsung devices)

On smartphones Samsung (Galaxy S, A, Note, etc.) uses a proprietary keyboard Samsung Keyboardwhere the globe settings are hidden differently. Here's how to get it back:

Step 1. Open keyboard settings:

• 📱 Go to Settings → General management → Samsung Keyboard.
• 🔧 Click Style and Layout.

Step 2. Scroll down to section Toolbar keys and make sure that the option is enabled:

Language button (or Language button).

Step 3. If the option is missing, try update keyboard via Galaxy Store:

• 🔄 Open Galaxy Store, find Samsung Keyboard and click Update.
• 🔧 After updating, reboot device.

Step 4. If the globe still does not appear, try temporarily switching to Gboard (install from the Play Market) and check if switching languages works there. This will help determine whether the problem is in the keyboard or in the system.

Problem	Possible cause	Solution
The globe disappeared after the update	Resetting the keyboard settings	Restore the settings manually (see step 2)
There is a language button, but it doesn’t work	Conflict with other applications	Clear keyboard cache (settings → applications)
The globe has been replaced with the letter "A"	New keyboard design	This is normal, the functionality is preserved
There is no "Language button" option in the settings	Outdated version of the keyboard	Update via Galaxy Store

4. Problems with other keyboards (SwiftKey, Fleksy, Chroom)

If you use third-party keyboards, the algorithm of actions will be similar, but with nuances. Let's consider popular options:

For Microsoft SwiftKey:

• 📱 Open Settings → Languages and layout → Toolbar buttons.
• 🔧 Enable the option Show language button.
• 🔄 If the option is not there, update the application in Play Market.

For Fleksy:

• 🎨 Go to Settings → Appearance → Toolbar.
• 🌍 Select Language button in the list of available elements.

For Chroom (keyboard from Xiaomi):

• 📱 Go to Settings → Additional settings → Language switch button.
• 🔧 Make sure option Globe icon (not a flag or letter) is selected.

If you use another keyboard, look for sections with words Layout, Toolbar or Language switchin its settings. hidden there.

5. Radical methods: reset and reinstallation

If none of the previous methods worked, it's time for more. serious measures. Don’t worry —these actions will not harm your smartphone, but may reset your personal keyboard settings.

Method 1. Clearing the cache and keyboard data

• 📱 Go in Settings → Applications.
• 🔍 Find your keyboard (for example, Gboard or Samsung Keyboard).
• 🧹 Click Storage → Clear cache and Clear data.
• 🔄 Reboot device.

⚠️ Attention: Clearing data will remove all custom words from the keyboard dictionary and reset the theme. You cannot make a backup copy - this is a feature of Android.

Method 2. Reinstalling the keyboard

• 🔧 Remove the current keyboard via Settings → Applications.
• 📥 Install it again from Play Market or Galaxy Store.
• 🔄 After installation, add languages again and customize the layout.

Method 3. Reset all Android settings (ultimate case)

If the problem persists on all keyboards, the system language settings may have gone wrong. In this case, resetting will help:

• 📱 Go to Settings → System → Reset settings.
• 🔧 Select Resetting application settings (not complete reset!).
• 🔄 After restarting, set up the keyboard again.

This method will not delete your files or applications, but will reset network settings, notifications and application permissions.

What to do if the reset did not help?

If after resetting the settings the globe still does not appear, the problem may be related to damage to system files (for example, after an unsuccessful update). In this case:

1. Check if the latest Android updates are installed (Settings → Software update).

2. If there are no updates, try manual update via a computer (instructions are on the manufacturer's website).

3. As a last resort, contact the service center - you may need to flash the device.

6. Alternative ways to switch languages

While you are figuring out how to return the globe, you can use temporary solutions to quickly switch languages:

Method 1. Space bar gesture

In many keyboards (including Gboard and SwiftKey), you can switch languages swipe left or right on the space bar. Try it!

Method 2. Status bar button

• 📱 On some devices (for example, Xiaomi or Huawei) in notification bar an icon of the current language appears.
• 🔧 Tapping on it opens a menu with a choice of language.

Method 3. Voice input

If you urgently need to type text in another language:

• 🎤 Click on the icon microphone on the keyboard.
• 🗣️ Dictate the text - the system automatically recognizes the language (works for popular languages).

Method 4. External keyboards

If you often type in different languages, try applications like Multiling O Keyboard or AnySoftKeyboardThey offer flexible settings for switching languages, including:

• 🌐 Separate globe button.
• 🔠 Hot keys for quick switching.
• 📱 Automatic language detection based on the first words.

7. Why the globe disappears: reasons and prevention

To prevent the problem from recurring, it is useful to know Why does the language switch button disappear?. data-i="253">why the language switching button disappears

• 🔄 Keyboard or Android update: New versions sometimes reset settings or change the arrangement of elements.
• 🧹 Clearing the cache manually or through "optimizers": Applications like Clean Master can delete important settings files.
• 📱 Conflict with other applications: For example, some launchers or themes may interfere with the operation of the keyboard.
• 🔧 Resetting settings by error: For example, when restoring a backup or flashing the firmware.
• 📵 Manufacturer restrictions: On some devices (especially Chinese brands), certain keyboard functions may be blocked.

How to prevent the globe from disappearing in the future?

• 🔒 Do not use "optimizers" to clear the cache - do it manually.
• 📥 Update the keyboard regularly, but follow the reviews about the new version (sometimes updates break the functionality).
• 📋 Export settings (if the keyboard supports this function, for example, in SwiftKey You can make a backup copy of the dictionary.
• 🛠️ Check settings after major Android updates —they often reset user preferences.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example Huawei or Honor without Google services) standard keyboards may have limited functionality. In this case, it is recommended to install Gboard or SwiftKey from alternative sources (for example, APKMirror).

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the globe on the Android keyboard

❓ Why is the country flag displayed instead of the globe?

This is not an error, but alternative design buttons for switching languages In some versions of keyboards (especially Samsung Keyboard or SwiftKey) instead of a globe, the flag of the current language is shown. The functionality remains the same - tapping on the icon switches the layout.

If you don’t like the flag, try changing the keyboard theme or installing another one (for example, Gboard usually uses a globe).

❓ Is it possible to return the globe if it disappeared after resetting the phone to factory settings?

Yes, but for this you need to reconfigure the keyboard:

1. Add at least two input language (Settings → System → Language and input → Virtual keyboard → Languages).
2. Open your keyboard settings and enable the display of the language switch button (see section 2 or 3 of this article).
3. If the option is missing, update the keyboard through the app store.

After a reset, all keyboard settings return to factory settings, so the globe may disappear even if it was there before.

❓ Why do some keyboards not have the "Show language button" option?

This can happen for several reasons:

• 📱 Outdated version of the keyboard — update it via Play Market or Galaxy Store.
• 🔧 Manufacturer restrictions —on some devices (for example Xiaomi for the Chinese market) the functionality of the keyboard is reduced.
• 🌍 Only one language has been added —the switch button is simply not needed if there are less than two languages.
• 🎨 Minimalistic layout selected —some keyboard themes hide additional buttons.

If the option is really missing, try installing a different keyboard (for example, Gboard or SwiftKey).

❓ How to add a third (or fourth) language to the keyboard?

The process of adding additional languages is the same for most keyboards:

1. Open Android Settings → System → Language and input → Virtual keyboard.
2. Select your keyboard (for example, Gboard).
3. Go to section Languages or Languages.
4. Click Add keyboard and select the desired language from the list.
5. Activate it by dragging it up in the list active languages.

After adding a language, the globe button (or an alternative icon) will switch between all active languages in a circle.

❓ Is it possible to transfer keyboard settings to a new phone?

Unfortunately most keyboards do not support exporting settings (with the exception of the user dictionary in some applications). However, you can:

• 📋 Make screenshots current settings (button layout, themes, languages).
• 🔄 Login to the same Google account on a new device - some keyboards (for example, Gboard) synchronize dictionaries.
• 📥 Install the same keyboard on the new phone and set it up manually.

If you use SwiftKey, it has a dictionary backup function via a Microsoft account.